The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is an annual three-day event held at Burghley House near Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, currently in early September. The Land Rover Freelander Burghley Horse Trial is classified by the FEI as one of the six leading three-day events in the world (the others being the Badminton Horse Trials, the Rolex Kentucky Three Day, the Australian International Three Day Event, the Luhmühlen Horse Trials and the Étoiles de Pau). It has competition at CCI**** (four star) level. The prize for first place is currently £50,000. Prize money is given down to 20th place.
Burghley is also one of the three events in the Grand Slam of Eventing.
Run in conjunction with the event since 1990 is the Burghley Young Event Horse final, which judges 4 and 5 year old horses on their potential as future Olympic mounts.
Horse trials have been held at Burghley House since 1961 when its owner the 6th Marquess of Exeter, an Olympic gold medalist in athletics and IOC member, heard that a three-day event at Harewood House could no longer be held. Since then no other international horse trials site has staged as many championships, a record ten in all including the first World Championship in 1966.
It is the longest continuous running international event. Up to 2006 there have been six course designers: Bill Thomson, M.R.C.V.S. 1961 – 1983, Lt-Col. Henry Nicoll, D.S.O., O.B.E., 1975, Philip Herbert 1984 – 1988, Captain Mark Phillips, C.V.O., 1989 – 1996 and 1998 – 2000, Mike Tucker 1997 and 2001, Wolfgang Feld 2002 – 2004 and Capt. Mark Phillips, C.V.O., 2005 -.
2016 - Chris Burton on Nobilis
2015 - Michael Jung on La Biosthetique-Sam FBW
2014 - Andrew Nicholson on Avebury
2013 - Andrew Nicholson on Avebury
2012 – Andrew Nicholson on Avebury
2011 – William Fox-Pitt on Parklane Hawk
2010 – Caroline Powell on Lenamore
2009 – Oliver Townend on Carousel Quest
2008 – William Fox-Pitt on Tamarillo
2007 – William Fox-Pitt on Parkmore Ed
2006 – Lucinda Fredericks on Headley Britannia
2005 – William Fox-Pitt on Ballincoola
2004 – Andrew Hoy on Moon Fleet
2003 – Pippa Funnell on Primmore's Pride
2002 – William Fox-Pitt on Highland Lad
2001 – Blyth Tait on Ready Teddy
2000 – Andrew Nicholson on Mr. Smiffy
1999 – Mark Todd on Diamond Hall Red
1998 – Blyth Tait on Chesterfield
1997 – Mark Todd on Broadcast News
1996 – Mary King on Star Appeal
1995 – Andrew Nicholson on Buckley Province
1994 – William Fox-Pitt on Chaka
1993 – Stephen Bradley on Sassy Reason
1992 – Charlotte Hollingsworth on The Cool Customer
1991 – Mark Todd on Welton Greylag
1990 – Mark Todd on Face the Music
1989 – Virginia Leng on Master Craftsman
1988 – Jane Thelwell on King's Jester
1987 – Mark Todd on Wilton Fair
1986 – Virginia Leng (née Holgate) on Murphy Himself
1985 – Virginia Holgate on Priceless
1984 – Virginia Holgate on Night Cap II
1983 – Virginia Holgate on Priceless
1982 – Richard Walker on Ryan's Cross
1981 – Lucinda Prior-Palmer on Beagle Bay
1980 – Richard Walker on John of Gaunt
1979 – Andrew Hoy on Davey
1978 – Lorna Clarke on Greco
1977 – Lucinda Prior-Palmer on George
1976 – Jane Holderness-Roddam on Warrior
1975 – Aly Pattinson on Carawich
1974 – Bruce Davidson on Irish Cap
1973 – Captain Mark Phillips on Maid Marion
1972 – Janet Hodgson on Larkspur
1971 – H.R.H. Princess Anne on Doublet
1970 – Judy Bradwell on Don Camillo
1969 – Gillian Watson on Shaitan
1968 – Sheila Willcox on Fair and Square
1967 – Lorna Sutherland on Popadom
1966 – Captain Carlos Moratorio on Chalan
1965 – Captain J.J. Beale on Victoria Bridge
1964 – Richard Meade on Barberry
1963 – Captain Harry Freeman-Jackson on St. Finbarr
1962 – Captain James Templer on M'Lord Connolly
1961 – Anneli Drummond-Hay on Merely-A-Monarch
